Solace
by ECKon04
Summary: Malon is waiting for her knight in shining armor to save her from a discontented life. What she thought she wanted: what she got instead. Sheik is his own person! *I'm polishing up this story; better ending, better grammar!*
1. Prologue

Hi everyone!

Well this is my first published story so I implore you to tell me what you think! Please!

-Elena

**Disclaimer**: I am clearly not great enough to own Legend of Zelda or any of it's wonderful characters. Just humble enough to own this story!

* * *

**Prologue**

Most mornings I wake up a few hours before the first crow and just lie still. I go to bed so early every night that I'm never really tired.

I stare at the cracks on the ceiling ritually attempting to make something different of the craggly lines and shapes, but nothing comes to me. They've looked the same to me my whole life; just cracks and divets that need to be plastered. My dad has offered to fix them multiple times, but I say no. Something inside of me says that I need them. It might be sentimentality or familiarity. But all I know is that there is something in those shapes that I'm just not seeing. Something impalpable and important.

It may sound stupid but there it is.

It's all I have to think about, at this god-forsaken ranch.

This awful and post-wonderful place. Home.

When I get sick of scraping my mind, I get up to get dressed and brush my hair, which doesn't take long; it's not like I'm taking any extra time to look good for somebody. Wrapping my shawl around my shoulders I tip-toe out of the house so not to wake Ingo and run out to the coral. It's kind of dark and there's always dew on the grass, and my happiness overwhelms me.

I hum my mother's song to myself as I lie down on the damp ground. This is my solace; the only time I'm content, if it only be for an hour.

After five minutes of watching the sun rise I go in to start my day. I make breakfast for Ingo and leave to eat mine in the loft. After that, I clean the stalls, feed the horses, chickens and cows, milk the cows, bottle the milk, gather the eggs, carton the eggs, and then Ingo takes the goods to town. I envy his job. After I take a (forbidden) ride on Epona, there's nothing else to do, so I go to my room and read.

This is my life.


	2. un

**Chapter 1**

The rain for the last two days has kept me from going out in the morning so naturally I'm in a crummy mood. I put down the pitchfork and pick up my basket. Collecting the eggs is not the worst part of the day, but I have to go all the way across the field to get to the chicken coup, and it is practically torrential out there.

On my way back across the coral I slip in the mud.

I take my cloak off back in the barn. It didn't keep me dry in the least. I don't mind being dirty or smelly from working all day, but working in wet clothes is agonizing.

The barn door starts to open.

"I have the eggs here, Ingo, but your going have to be patient for the milk, I haven't started on it yet" I say turning around.

A guy in a green tunic closes the door behind him. He has a shield, and all sorts of gear strapped to him and is looking at me smiling.

I can feel my cheeks burning red and look down at myself. My hem is a muddy brown six inches up, and there are mud stains all over my backside from falling. My shawl is partially ripped and tattered, and I'm wearing a wet white shirt (Good thinking Malon!) My red hair is stuck to my face and dripping.

Days that people actually_ come _to the Ranch are usually my favorite days, but this is different.

This is mortifying.

"Hi, Malon," He says smiling. How does he know my name?

"How do you know my name?" I repeat out loud. A lot of people know who I am, but I've never met him before.

"I was talking to Ingo, and he said you were in here," he replies easily, practically ignoring my question.

Ingo never talks about me. He acts as if I don't exist. Why would he start now? I stare stupidly at him.

Apparently I look cold:

"Goddess you shouldn't have been out in the rain, you'll get a fever!" He grabs my arms and starts to rub them to warm me up. I'm so confused with the situation that I stand there in awe.

This random, hot guy comes to the ranch, confers with Ingo about me, talks to me like he's known me for years, and proceeds to rub my arms. It doesn't get weirder. But I let him. As he applies friction to my ice-cold arms, I feel as if he's cracking me open. Or making me feel something other than my crippling apathy for a change. I feel a sudden jolt of relief and it shows itself through tears. Warm, ugly tears, making me (if possible) more red in the face.

"What's wrong?" he cries his hands flying away as if he was hurting me.

"I'm not a baby," I say weakly. I drop down on a bail of hay sniffling all the while, too embarrassed to look up at him. He says nothing.

"Everything's wrong!" I admit. "Ingo ran my father out of the ranch, and forced me to stay. He's under some kind of spell, He used to be my dad's best friend; good ol' harmless Ingo. Now he's some power hungry jerk. He won't let me leave!" I cry. "This was supposed to be _my _ranch. Now I'm some sort of slave!"

I finally look up at him. He seems angry.

"Don't worry, Malon," He says sternly while touching my back gently. "Things are about to change."

"Who _are _you?" I finally ask.

He watches me for a minute, and sighs.

"Link, my name is Link."

* * *

Seeing that there's nothing on the ceiling, I tell myself to wait to think about Link until I'm out in the coral (no rain, thank the goddesses). I sit in front of my vanity and absent-mindedly brush my hair with unusual care.

I sit on the damp grass and contemplate him. I could bet anything he was some sort of adventurer due to all of the serious weapontry he had glued to him. His fingers were calloused and brown; the hands of a hard-worker. And his eyes. They were magnificent. A feral blue. He was tall and strong and so... I'm getting carried away.

He wore a green tunic, like how the Kokiri dress.

I've never met a Kokiri. You'd have to go there to meet one, they can't leave the forest or they die or something. I think. I met a kid a long time ago who looked like one and had a fairy with him and everything, I called him Fairy Boy. But he wasn't a Kokiri because I had met him in Castle Town. He was my age. It was like seven years ago.

It hits me.

Like a ton of bricks.

Everything rushes over me in explanation. Why he knew my name, why he looked at me so kindly, why he wore that tunic.

The nostalgia is breath-taking. And I realize he intends to save me. How stupid can I get. Is there anything more obvious? I smile in spite of myself.

I hope he comes back soon.


	3. deux

**Chapter 2**

I waited for him everyday this week, but he hasn't showed up yet. Every morning I wake up in anticipation, and at the end of everyday I get upset with him for not showing up, and soon after I get upset with myself for acting so childish.

He has no obligation towards me. It's not like I'm one of his priorities.

He probably has very important and highly classified duties to Hyrule. I'm so self-centered to think that the first thing on Link's list is to "save Malon and her ranch, and then sweep her off her feet and ride into the sunset."

Doubtful.

He could have any girl he wants from here to Termina, why would he spontaneously pick me?

All of these thoughts scamper through my head as I rest in the deep hay of the loft. Ingo is off delivering and I have this time off to do "whatever I want" as he puts it.

What I "want" is to leave Lon Lon ranch and see the outside world. He locks the gates every day on his way out. Sometimes people even come by, but I can't let them in because it's locked and I have to turn them away. I hate it.

Suddenly I see the top of the barn door open and close without a sound and I practically jump out of my skin.

Ingo won't be home till late tonight, so it's not him. I don't think any animals could open the door like that we have latches designed to keep them out.

I pray to Nayru that it may be Link, and that he's here to take me away.

I creep towards the edge of the loft where the ladder is and peer down into the stalls. I only catch a glimpse of the person's foot and it is not link's. I almost give my cover by squealing in fear. I see the shadow turn it's head and start to walk towards the ladder. I run (very quietly) behind a couple of crates and hold my breath.

Whoever it is, they're climbing the ladder. Too slowly for me to feel comfortable.

I search my surroundings for something to defend myself with. I pick up an old hoe broken half way up the handle, crouch on my feet and brace myself.

I can't hear anything but I see the shadow and it's creeping closer. When I feel it's presence I wince and then I do it.

I jump out, raise the hoe like a baseball bat (which I soon realize I'm holding the actual hoe part and not the handle), scream and before I get a good look at him I club him over the head.

He glomps to the floor and starts to get up on his elbow, moaning terribly.

I _know_ who this man is but my incompetent adrenaline makes me club once more on the back and again on the shoulder until he's lying there. Not moving.

And then I'm finally able to see what I've done.

Fuck.

There's an unconscious Sheikah on the ground.

I start to run around like a cuckoo with it's head cut off.

"A Sheikah!" I exclaim to no one in particular. "Sheikah are extinct! I refuse to believe that I just took out an incredibly beautiful Sheikan man in my own loft!"

I kneel down next to him and poke him. When he doesn't move I roll him over onto the pile of hay. He's bleeding at the brow.

Decision:Tend to the wounded Sheikah.

I run to get a rag and a bucket of water, then sit back down and start to swab the blood away, and I get a good look at him.

Obviously He's wearing a Sheikah uniform. That's how I recognized him. He has a shawl wrapped around his neck and it goes up to his nose but I pull it down slightly To see him better. He has stubble. But not old man stubble. By the looks of him, he's probably only a few years my senior. He has blond hair messily peaking out of the brim of his bandaged cap on the crown of his head.

He doesn't look rogue at all. I asked him in a whisper to wake up so I could talk to him, but I fearfully wish it back.

There isn't much else I can do but sit and wait for him to wake up. But just to be safe, I sit on top of the crates with my hoe in hand in case he does have harm in mind for me.

One hour goes by. He hasn't moved.

Two hours. Hardly a stir.

By the third hour I drift off to sleep.

* * *

I wake up at my usual time in my bed. Immediately I freak out. What happened Last night was _not _a dream. I still have splinters in my hand from the old hoe. How in Din's name did I get back in my bed? I'm not a sleep walker, I don't think.

I run down stairs and outside without putting my shoes on, and take a breath before slowly creaking the barn door open.

Nothing but horses and cows. I look at Epona, and she's uneasy.

"What is it, girl?" I coo. She shakes her head. I stand still and look around the barn frantically trying to spot him. And I do. Because he leans into the light up in the loft. And I fall backwards in surprise and land on my backside very hard.

He flinches at my fall. "Go back to sleep!" He hisses.

"Sheikah!" I exclaim like an awe-struck child. He rolls his crimson eyes.

"No. Your only dreaming. Go back to your bed!" He demands quietly, sounding frustrated.

A wind of bold curiosity blows over me heavily as I silently disobey his orders by getting up and climbing the ladder.

"Stop!" says the young man almost pleading, he back pedals into the back of the loft.

I grab the lantern I left up here, light it and step towards him.

"I'm not dreaming." I say "I'm here, in my loft, with a Sheikah. And I'm definitely awake".

He stops and lets me walk up in front of him, staring at him, waiting for him to say something. Sooner or later he does:

"Who are you?" he asks, his face unreadable.

"Who'm I?" I screech back, "Who are _you_? This is my loft and you saunter in like you own the place."

He steps towards me his face expressionless. "You're not supposed to know about me," his voice calm and unwaivering. There's a few moments of nothing and my curiosity burns, and I'm drawn to him. Strangely without hesitation I reach my hand up and rest it on his cheek. He doesn't flinch but his eyes widen and he looks at me with a hidden sort of apprehension.

I see something there, and I realize that this is not some freak accident. That him coming here wasn't a mistake. Before I can fully understand what small glimpse I caught, I focus back on him.

"Too late," I whisper.

He opens his mouth about to say something, but holds back. Before I know it he steps back and throws a Deku nut on the floor. I shield my eyes, And he disappears.

And once again, I'm alone.

* * *

There's the second chapter. I read over it and kind of think that the events went by too quickly. What do you think? Reviews! I want to know that someone out there is reading!


	4. trois

**Chapter 3**

A few days have gone by since that night. I can only describe it in one way: extraordinary.

Last night I had a dream: I was prying open a crate of bottles for milk with a crowbar. When I opened it and took the straw off the top layer I didn't see ordinary bottles but a litter of kittens. Strange. All of a sudden I was lying on my bed, (you know how dreams skip from scene to scene without rhyme or reason). I was glaring up at the cracks per usual but my bed was really high so I was very close to the ceiling. I looked up at the ceiling and realized that there was something behind it, and the cracks were like little windows to some picture or something.

And I woke up.

And as soon as I did, I checked the cracks. There was nothing behind them. They were just the same old shallow lines etched on the ceiling.

I realize that it's very late in the morning. Probably the latest I've ever woken up since my father left the ranch. Three or Four years, I think.

I run down stairs and there are dishes in the sink. Ingo probably just didn't want to wait and made himself eggs or something. I don't think he'll be really mad, but annoyed rather. He may be greedy and stingy, but he's not terrible to live with, I suppose.

I walk outside sorting my apologies for Ingo in my head, and come across Link on his way out of the ranch. Surprise is written on my face and I feel delight stir through me.

And I'm beaming.

"Link!" I exclaim.

"It's nice to see you, Malon." He says pleasantly. His inviting smile warms me from head to toe.

"What have you been doing here?" I ask, glancing out towards the coral. He comes up to my side and gestures to the field secretly.

"I'm working on Ingo," he says mock-mysteriously. "Before you know it, he's going to be back to normal, and you'll have your ranch." This statement is rather matter-of-factly, and I giggle at his confidence.

"How are you going to do it?" I ask

He turns serious. "Well he made me pay to ride the horses. I called Epona on my ocarina, and she came, but it was a short ride. I have to leave now, but when I come back, I'm going to try to get Epona from him," he says, avoiding my question.

"You want Epona?" I say confused.

"That's not the point." He pauses. "you'll see, I just need a little time to finish something." He continues vaguely enough.

He waves goodbye and walks off.

* * *

A week goes by and I'm left in agonizing boredom. So many out of the ordinary events impacted in one week, and then a whole seven days without so much as an pulled heart-string or twinged nerve is overly disappointing.

I walk in the storage post on the far side of the field. It's a small multi-sided room with a high ceiling. There's a ladder and several wooden planks and levels for storage. This is where I churn butter and age cheese and the like. Two cows are in here from lack of space in the stable. I sit down to milk one of them humming my mother's song.

I hear a rustling above me and my heart skips a beat in surprise.

That's more like it.

I look up around and over my shoulder. No one around, it's probably just my imagination.

I think again because a piece of straw flits down from above to the left of me. I stand up and spin around, my eyes wide.

"Who's there?" I demand looking up. No answer.

"If your here to hurt me, then your about to be sorry!" I warn. What am I thinking? Whoever's there is not going to get their butt kicked by a skinny little red-head.

I hear a chuckle. And the Chuckler's face pops out above me from the second level.

I scream, step backwards, and trip on the bucket of milk I had gathered. And I'm sitting there looking up at the Sheikah, who is lying on his stomach looking over the edge of the level. His face is covered up to his eyes and his hair his hanging.

I turn red in frustration. "What, are you some kind of ghost? What do you want from me?" I shout, angry from the feeling of warm milk seeping through my skirts.

"Nothing." He puts simply.

I stand up and start squeezing milk out of my clothes. waiting for him to continue.

He doesn't. He just keeps watching me intently.

"Then why are you always following me around?" I say exasperatedly. He pushes himself up and then drops down from the level landing nimbly on his feet, hardly making a sound. I guess that's what Sheikah were known for. Their stealth. At least that's what the elders say when telling their stories.

"I'm not," he says, "I was actually hoping that you wouldn't come in here. But you did, so now I have to go." Without going anywhere he waits for me to respond.

"I'm in and out of every nook and cranny of this ranch three times a day," I say flatly. "You can't avoid me. Whatever your trying to do here, you won't accomplish without me having something to do with it."

I challenge him with a stubborn stare. The kind of stare that I would give my dad when he was being difficult. The Sheikah doesn't back down or shrink like my dad would have. He just stares back at me.

"Then I suppose we'll be seeing a lot more of each other," he says. I almost falter at his boldness, but I don't say anything, and he walks out the door. I open it back up to run after him but he's nowhere to be seen. He's disappeared.

I kick the ground and squeal in frustration.

Frustration is better than boredom.

* * *

**A/N: **Here's another chapter! Hope you likey.

Love in return for reviews, be brutal, I want to grow and learn!


	5. quatre

**Chapter 4**

I miss him so much that I ache.

Can't he take just a few minutes out of his adventures to rescue a damsel in distress? It seems like he wants to.

I wait for him all the same.

My heart is redeemably his.

xxx

I finished up dinner for Ingo and set it in front of him. He muttered a thank you and I turned with mine to go up my room, but before I left he tells me he was going to the castle tomorrow and staying for three days. My ears pricked in excitement. Three whole days without Ingo sounds like freedom to me. I could even put off working for a day if I wanted.

I help him pack up the next day. Right before he leaves he tells me that if I try anything funny that he will turn me out of the ranch to live a life of destitution. I stick my nose up at him. He doesn't scare me, that's hardly a threat; more like a reward.

I walk into the house as the gate is closing me in and everyone else out, and sit at the table.

"What now?" I ask myself out loud. Five minutes later I decide to go saddle up Epona. I walk out and across the way to the stables. I glance over to the entrance. And I double take it.

The gate is open. Wide open.

And the Sheikah is standing there with his arms crossed.

My confusion overwhelms me as I stand there probably twenty feet away from him.

And suddenly it's replaced with hot anger. I storm over to him vehemently, and he doesn't move or falter. His facial expression is steady and solemn.

I stop in front of him and raise my hand to slap him.

But he stops me by grabbing my raised hand and setting it down gently by my side.

"My name is Sheik." He says. The rage in my eyes soften. He continues:

"And I believe that we can help each other out." His scarlet eye contact causes me to step back. But I regain composure and cross my arms mirroring him.

"What makes you think that I'll help you?" I challenge.

"I opened the gate for you, didn't I?" He asks. This is true. I rack my brain for his motives, and nothing is there. There is something in this ranch that he is after and I have no idea what it is.

I'm examining his face. Usually when you look straight at someone, they just get uncomfortable, but he's not showing it. I squint and I search him, but he stays unreadable. He has a somewhat furrowed brow, which adds to the severe intensity of his fiery red gaze. I look harder; he has freckles; a sign of being out in the sun. He's toned, probably from training, and stuff, but really skinny. It must be a whole minute before I break the silence.

"I'll only negotiate if you come inside and let me make you lunch." He tenses and raises his eyebrows at me.

Finally some emotion. Apprehension is written all over his face.

He nods nervously and I motion him to follow me into the house.

As I'm walking I realize that I have no distrust towards him. I completely turned my back towards him and am still not really afraid. Sometimes I confuse myself. I experiment. As I open the door I let him walk in ahead of me. He looks conflicted but he doesn't hesitate to just walk in. Why do we trust each other? The first time I saw him I hit him, and he's always sneaking around.

He sits down at the table and puts his hands in his lap. Clearly uncomfortable by the whole situation. I go over to the counter and cut some bread and cheese. I set it on the middle of the table and toss him and apple. I sit down, and start:

"So tell me, Shei-"

"Wait," he interrupts. "First, tell me your name."

"Oh, um.. I'm Malon," I reply. He nods, I think I see a slight smile and I continue: "First tell me: Are you a real Sheikah, or are you just dressed like one?" I say pointing at him. He cocks his head to the side and quietly chuckles.

"Of course I'm a real Sheikah," he says. He loosens up by pulling down his cover and taking a bite out of his apple. I look closely and can see the cut on his brow from when I hit him. I grimace to myself.

I almost decide to ask him where the Sheikah went, but I reconsider the question. "What are you looking for?" I ask picking up a bit of cheese.

"I found what I was looking for."

I peer at him to continue.

He does:

"I'm sure you know about Ganondorf's evil rule."

"Yes," I say quietly.

"He is the one who gave Ingo power over this ranch. If your father revolted Ingo would've killed you. That's the only reason he's staying away; so that you'll stay safe." I gasp, and he continues. "Ingo was supposed to give him, along with your horse, Epona, a special pendant. Which, as of last night, I found." He pulls out the pendant tied to leather string from around his neck. It's a silver Sheikah symbol, but without the tear that is usually dripping off the eye. It catches a glimmer of sunlight and I'm sitting there staring at it.

I've seen that before. My dad used to wear it. In fact he never took it off. I've never even asked what it was or why he had it. I suddenly miss my dad.

"Did you take it from my father?" I ask annoyed.

"No! Ingo took it from him, and I found it in his desk." He explained

"What is so special about this pendant?" I ask.

"It doubles as a part of a key. Each race has one, and I'm trying to retrieve them before he has them all."

"My dad has the Hylian's pendant?" I asked, a little confused at how all of a sudden my family became significant.

"No," he pauses. "You have the Sheikah's pendant."

"Why?" I say laughing at the oddness of it all.

"That's been heavy on my mind for a long time," he says. "I have _no idea_."

"Okay," I say, changing the subject. "So, how is an open gate supposed to help me? It's not like I can just run away. I don't even want to for that matter; this is my ranch." I say before he can get to his point.

He leans forward in his chair. "Well first, I just figured you'd want a chance to get out for a couple of days while Ingo was away. Second: I'm going to get your ranch back for you." He says this in a surprisingly confident voice, smiling. I gaze at him sideways.

"I appreciate your intentions," I say. I can see he's noted my doubt.

"So about Epona," he says after a short lull.

"Why is it so important that Ganondorf doesn't get Epona?" I ask.

"Because she is the hero's horse," He sighs. My eyes widen in surprise.

"Hero?" I say. He looks up at me emotionless.

"The Hero of time," he clarifies, "Link."

My heart starts beating and I stand up to take the empty dish off the table before I strangle the Sheikah for information.

I mean Sheik, his name is Sheik.

"How well do you know link?" He asks simply, straightening his back. This has nothing to do with the current situation.

"I like to think that we're involved," I say sheepishly. Sheik raises and eyebrow at me, and makes a 'hmph' sound.

"Link's a very busy guy," he says crossing his arms, his mouth slightly twisted. "He doesn't have time for trivial pursuits."

I feel a thump of unpleasant surprise, and I look up at him hurt and offended.

"What do you mean by 'trivial'?" I ask in a low voice.

He doesn't say anything. He just shrugs without breaking eye contact. My face goes hot with embarrassment.

I prevent myself from showing weakness, or getting violent or anything.

"I will be sure to prevent Ingo from giving away Epona. If that's all you need from me, I suggest you leave," I say coldly.

He covers his face, and walks out, shutting the door behind him. I look out the window, but I don't see him. He disappeared once again.

I walk up to my room and lay on my bed.

We argue like we've known each other forever, and I'm sitting here, having no grasp or understanding on the prior events.

By now, I don't even feel like what just happened, happened.

* * *

**A/N: **Okay, it looks like we can start speculating on Sheik's character. Or so I hope you can. I hope I'm hitting the right note with him. But I have this nagging dread that I might be sending mixed messages about the Sheikah.

Oh well, I shall start the new chapter pronto. New semester = new classes, so I havn't quite mastered time managment yet.


	6. cinq

Chapter 5

I finish feeding the cows and on my way back to the house I realize I haven't considered the open gate yet. It's just gaping and I haven't taken the opportunity. As twilight dawns a warm wind begins to whip my hair, and I tug at my shawl as I walk.

I hesitate before I step out of the entrance. It occurs to me that I've been standing here for quite some time. I become weary.

"What's the use?" I cry out to myself. What good would running around Hyrule field for the night do? I would just have to come back, and that would probably break my heart. I would just get tired, and who knows how dangerous it has gotten out there, with Ganondorf's rule. I set out my options as the wind plays with my skirts: I can go out there and put myself into physical and mental peril, or stay in my home like the sensible girl I am, and wait for something to happen.

I take a step forward.

A step that I had thought would have made me tired or scared, or sick, but was actually quite the contrary. I take another step, and another, and with each one my stride grows, and my pace quickens. And as I trot down that grassy passageway something fills me up and energizes me. Very likely the fresh Hyrulian air, I tell myself.

And then I see Death Mountain, and a gust of wind catches me, and I grasp the fact that for the first time in a very long time.....

...that this is the world. _My world!_ The world that I love, and I have been neglecting it, and missing it.

And here it is!

I run out to the stone wall near the side of the ranch and stand on top of it. I see the towers of the castle, and look back at Death Mountain, I turn more slightly to see the edge of the forest, and more again and I behold the fences to the lake.

"There!" I shriek in delight. I love the lake. Or at least I used to, if there is one place to visit in a short amount of time it would be Lake Hylia.

I run back into the ranch to tack up Epona.

And we are out of there so fast the wind can't catch up to us.

XXX

It's late at night be the time I get to the edge of the water, but the moon is bright so there's a luminescent sheen on the lake. The clear waters dance and play and beg me to jump in.

I strip down to my jumper and dive.

and before I hit the water I notice an impalpable layer all over my body caked on like dried mud, and I think it was some feelings. More like woes. Oppression and disappointment and fear and boredom. I had not have felt them before covering me like a second skin. These emotions were so numbing, that it all had turned to apathy. A deadly indifference.

I break the surface.

And as I swim this filth melts off of me and I yelp out in happiness. And for once I feel alive.

XXX

I wake up in a patch of thick grass, It was warm enough last night to not catch a cold. I sit up slowly tugging my shawl around my bare arms and yawn. The morning sun is shining in my face and I feel like I could do anything at all.

Because I can, I am my own person for two and a half days more.

I walk out to a sandy place and lie down to warm up, not worrying about the sand in my uncombed hair, or the dirt on my feet.

"Now," I say out loud. "What shall I do today, hmm? I can relax in my undergarments a bit longer, and then I may go for a swim, and then perhaps visit the fishing pond, just for old-time's sake." I smile and close my eyes. Link pops in my head. "And Maybe if I am very lucky, Link will happen along the lake," I say.

"Then you are not in luck, I'm afraid," says a voice, unfortunately not Link's.

I jump up, cry out in surprise and cross my arms over my chest. I'm not necessarily indecent, I have my white jumper on which goes under my dress, but even though I am not wet, I am still underdressed, my hair tousled and dirty.

And I'm beet red, and standing, once again, in front of Sheik who has a amused smirk on his face.

"If this is not a coincidence, I don't know what is," he says as he hands me my shawl. I take it and wrap it around myself quickly and then look up at him skeptically.  
His arms are crossed, but his chest isn't puffed up like usual. He's just standing there like a normal person who spotted someone he knows and walked down to them for a chat. His tanned face is out in the open and friendly. I stare at him a little bit longer in utter confuddlement.

He flashes me a charming smile, and it throws me unexpectedly. It's like he has fifteen different personalities. Finally, I oblige him.

"W-what are you doing here?" I try to say easily. I don't feel like snapping at him since he is apparently in such a good mood.

"I just exited the Water Temple. Y'know, just yesterday there was practically no water in the lake." He says conversationally.

"Why is it back to normal?" I ask.

"Link," he says, his smile fading.

"Oh," I say, still not understanding. I turn around and sit down cross-legged in the sand again. He follows suit.

"Things are working out," he says softly. "before you know it, everything will be okay again, by the rate that he's working at." There's a pause, he continues. "But imagine if he just dropped what he was doing to help individuals, or for his own personal reasons. Hyrule would never be at peace again." I look up at him in surprise, he's talking about Link and me. He sits with his knees bent and his elbows resting on them, looking out over the lake.

"I don't mean to slight you or anything, but you shouldn't expect him to come save you. He's too busy risking his own skin saving Hyrule. It's his job, and his duty," he finishes. Link really is the chosen hero. I'm too flustered to continue. I look over at Sheik, who is studying my face.

"Than why do you keep bothering with me? You have that pendant thing, and I won't let him take Epona," a pause. "What else do you want?"

"Huh!" he exclaims standing up. "I didn't know that I was _bothering_ you, I was just trying to help!" he says indignantly. This sounds more like him... whoever he is. "And just so you know, I didn't expect you to be here, It's not like I was trying to track you down!"

I shoot up and poke a finger at his chest. "I didn't say you _were _bothering me! I was asking why you bothered _with me_!" I clarify loudly. "Don't be so bull-headed!" I fiercely put my hands on my hips, and look up at him determinedly. He furrows his brow and takes a step back to look at me with a cocked head and angular expression.

"What?" I say impatiently

"Your calling _me_ bull headed?" he says with a chuckle. My jaw drops at his sudden amusement.

He flashes a smile and throws his head back laughing. A very musical laugh that matches his low voice. It's so infectious and I just want to laugh too. I've never seen his eyes this lit and his cheeks so flushed. Before I let myself smile I grab his arms and shake him.

"What's going on? Stop confusing me!" And he looks at me with what looks like joy.

"Are you hungry?" He asks me out of the blue. I nod my head admittedly, pulling my arms away. "I have some food in my saddle, I'm hungry too."

And without asking, I follow this very bi-polar guy to his horse, and we sit down on a rock to eat bread and cheese and dried fruit.

XXX

"So if your so busy with all of these things," I ask Sheik after he had explained to me what his missions were, "why are you sitting here, idling with me? Little ol' Malon." He cocks his head at me.

"Why am I not allowed to like your company?" he asks. I feel a flutter inside my chest. After all of this, I never expected for him to like me. I thought he thought I was stubborn and annoying. I say just that.

"Well, of course you're stubborn and annoying," he smirks. "It is refreshing," he says to my surprise.

After a comfortable silence, I start to examine him. "Your different every time I see you," I say. "I never know when your acting normal."

"What do you call this?" he asks loudly. I giggle in embarrassment. The cut on his brow has scabbed and there's a bruise around it. He notices the apprehensive look on my face and reaches to touch his brow.

"Sorry," I say.

"You should see the bruise on my shoulder!" he says with a mock-scowl. I wince. "You are surprisingly strong for such a small thing." He says. I laugh nervously, and change the subject.

"Where is Link currently?" I ask trying to mask my eagerness.

"Let's talk about something else," he says slowly looking at me sideways. I nod. "Where did your father get the Sheikah pendant?" he asks.

"I don't know," I say honestly.

"Who was you mother?" he asks. There's a long pause as I look out to the lake.

"Her name was Marin. I'm apparently the spitting-image of her," I manage. He nods for me to go on. "They met in Kakariko village, and that's all I know. My father doesn't like to talk about her, and I don't remember anything about her."

I feel Sheik reach out and grab my chin with his thumb and forefinger. He turns my face towards him and just looks at me. Sometimes you don't realize how personal someone's eyes are until you get a good long look into them, and he was peering through them like a window, trying to see inside with a pensive look on his face. I guess I wasn't really trying to see his eyes, I was only looking at them. But it seamed like he was trying to see something deeply embedded. Something not easily found. I don't know if he saw anything, but I did get a good look at his fiery-colored irises, and his dark furrowed brow. He comes back into focus, tweaks my nose and says:

"You should go back to the ranch. I'll ride there with you, if you like."

"Yeah," I agree and we get ready to go.

XXX

We rode back to the ranch together, and I asked him when would be the next time he would come 'bother' me again.

He said he didn't know, and then said goodbye, and rode off towards Kakariko.

* * *

**A/N: **Woah! Shame on me. Sorry to leaveyou guys hanging like that. I've been working practically everyday after school. And then I have things like college visits, and piano lessons, and senior class rose sales. Shitty stuff like that. However, I'm not going to work on weekdays anymore, so I will have plenty more time to work on this little number. Review!

Love and Rockets,

Elena.


	7. six

Oh man, people. That was a long time with nooo update. *Sorry* But I just found some free time after finishing homework, and was like "hey, what about Solace". So without further ado!

Chapter 6

_xxx_

_It is something that grows over time... a true friendship._

_A feeling in the heart that becomes even stronger over time._

_The passion of friendship will soon blossom into a righteous power_

_and through it..._

_you'll know which way to go._

xxx

My legs are sore from riding yesterday, but it's a good mental feeling. Just knowing that I got up and did something. _Went _somewhere. I love how I still get sand falling out of my hair, and my feet are filthy. I feel so unharnessed..

And so I bake cookies, in hope of being able to treat either the man that I'm in love with, or maybe Sheik to thank him, if either one of them comes before Ingo gets back.

When I'm finished, I do the daily chores in my bare feet, singing all the while.

xxx

Link hasn't come after a whole month. Sometimes I worry, but then I correct myself, remembering that he's just really busy.

My heart aches for him.

Besides, Sheik sees him often to give him guidance and advice. He comes in the morning every now and then when I'm alone in the field and Ingo is asleep, and we talk and laugh.

I don't know how I would survive. I haven't ever been able to talk to someone like I do with Sheik. Of course I had friends when I was a kid, but there's a difference between child playmates, and an adult fellowship.

I'm consoled by the new assurance of having someone to talk to and joke with. It's like a mental relief.

_xxx_

One day on my way out of the storage room in the afternoon I spot a man on horseback talking to Ingo in the coral. I walk up to the outside of the tall fence and place my yoke on the ground next to me to get a better look. Walking up to them would be forward of me, especially in front of Ingo. I squint my eyes.

The man is Link, and he's on Epona!

My heart starts up immediately, and so many question race through my head. Before I have time to react, they leave the coral and set up their horses at the line of the obstacle course.

They are going to race.

Before I know it, I'm in a panic, and I pick up the heavy yoke and run towards the storage tower to get out of the way. I don't know whether I should watch, or run and hide. I get so nervous that breathing becomes harder, and my lungs begin to burn. What are the stakes? What if Link loses? My back falls against the hard brick wall.

I get myself into such a fit, and then...

...there's nothing.

XXX

_"Malon?"_

I wake up with a splitting headache. My eyes crack open and someone with blonde hair hanging down is hovering over me. He has a soothing voice. I stir and move my arms to push myself up, but I'm still too weak to lift myself.

_"Don't strain yourself, I've got you." _He says. My wait shifts, and I'm lifted off the ground as if I was a feather. My head rolls limply into his chest. The material of his shift is rough, but the closeness his body warms me to the core, it swells through me. _I'm bemused_.

_I see a hazy light coming from where ever I'm looking towards and a warm glow that seems like its the general air around me. Theirs a fuzzy light that bounces off different objects creating a dim color. I hear a warm musical laugh. It resonates through and out. And then someone talking in an affectionately low tone. I don't hear any specific words of this hazy conversation, but only like the sharpness was taken out, like in a dream. A sweet murmur, and a cloudy coo, and I feel contentedness and a sort of low pitched joy._

_But it slowly becomes too quiet for me to hear anymore._

And the realistic senses come back to me, and I hear the sound of the ranch once more.

I put two and two together and I know I'm in my love's arms.

The back of my head suddenly throbs in pain and I press my head against it for pressure. I feel that It's only a bump though.

"Are you doing okay?" he asks nervously. I sigh as a response. He sets me down on a bail of hay and kneels down to looks at my eyes fixedly.

I lose it for a second and start to tilt over to the side.

"Woah!" he exclaims as he holds me steady. I murmur and let out a short laugh.

"Thank you," I say as if I'm just waking up, with a crooked smile on my face. And I finally the glaze comes off of my sight. And I see him looking at me with concern.

I reach out my hands and rest them on the sides of his face. He grins.

"I won, Malon!" he says with excitement. "The ranch is yours again!"

We jump up at the same time and I throw my arms over his neck in laughter. He holds me and spins me once. He sets me down and disbelief runs through me.

"It can't be true!" I say trying to stop a tear from falling down my cheek. "I've been waiting so long!" My happiness extended out of me and I kiss him with a big smile on my face.

At first time stops and I can feel him stiffen. But then he kisses me back.

I feel his arms tighten around me as we realize the actuality of it all, and my knees begin to buckle. After a moment he stops, and presses his forehead against mine. Our breath is heavy from all of the excitement. He kisses me quickly once more.

"Sorry," he says before brushing my forehead. I give him an inquiring look. My heart pumping."I have to go," he says slowly before stopping my words with another kiss.

"What? Why?" I panic. He holds my face in his hands.

"I can't stay," He says, he looks at me pleadingly. "I'm on a really tight schedule." He combs back my hair with his fingers.

This is happening so fast. But I remember Sheik, and what he told me about Link. That he has a job to do. It would be foolish of me to hinder him. The tear rolls down my chin.

"Take Epona," I say. His eyes widen, he about to say no. "You need her," I say with determination.

He relaxes his hold on me and nods, breaking a smile. Epona's already tackled and everything. All he has to do is jump on and leave. He turns to go but stops half way and comes back to me.

"Just wait for me, I'll come back," he says with an encouraging smile before kissing my cheek and leaving for good.

And he's gone. And my legs are so wobbly that I could fall over.

Things are finally going well.

**A/N: **Short chapter, I know. But the next one will be up promptly, I think, so stay tuned! Review!


	8. huit

**A/N:** Shveet, I'm on a roll. Okay, people, I'm just going to say that I really like this chapter. It gives me excitement and fuzzies and stuff. It's just happiness, and I'll stop now.

About the chapters names, It got all screwed up with the prologue and the numbers, and I can never think of chapter title, so I just did french numbers, because it looked nice to me.

p.s. PROM is this weekend, and I'm _so freakin' excited!_

_Anyways,_ le chapitre huit pour vous! Oi!

Chapter 8.

I'm lying in he grass humming to myself. Ingo hasn't come back, and I don't think he's going to ever. I smile and stretch out in the warm sun.

"Well, aren't you jus' the perfect picture a' happiness! Stretchin' out in tha sun like a lazy cat in the summer heat!" I hear booming at me in a jolly tone.

I jump up in delight and as soon as I see who it is, I start bawling happily.

"Pa!" I shout, as I run to him.

He buries me in his enormous arms, and we're both crying and laughing, and in complete hysterics.

"Your home!" I cry.

"And for good!" he laughs back at me. He kisses the top of my head like he always used to.

xxx

We took the reunion inside so that I could make dinner for him. As I prepared it, we talked and laughed and cried and just bathed in each other's happiness and relief.

"So, how did you get word to come back to Lon Lon?" I asked him.

"Well I had been planin' on trying to get back somehow, even if it meant workin' under Ingo. But I never got to leavin' town. When this young man came up to me and mentioned how Lon Lon was back to original management. Well I said 'darn tootin' it is!' and came runnin' over as soon as I had the chance," he explained.

"Who was the young man?" I asked, no one had been around except for Link.

"Well, I don't know, exactly, he was tall, with blond hair coverin' his eyes. Nice boy, though." My head jerked up.

"In Kakariko?" I inquired. Link popped in my head. As if he wasn't there before.

"Yeah he walked past me and just started talkin,'" he said. My curiosity was piqued, my Pa would've recognized Link. Sheik could have been there, but then I realized that there are more than two blond men in the whole of Hyrule. I felt silly.

"What are you ponderin' about, chickey?" he asks. I smile at him and bring two bowls of stew to the table.

"Nothing, Pa. I'm just happy, again, is all."

xxx

In the morning I'm woken up by a steady banging and a small piece of plaster falling on my face from the ceiling. I look up lazily and furrow my brows at the new figuration of cracks up above. A last boom makes dust come down and it gets in my eyes.

I walk over to my window, pull it open and look out of it. My Pa is pulling the gates down. Those ten foot tall, iron bars. A beaming grin brightens my face.

"Hey, you old man, I'm trying to get some sleep!" I call out teasing.

"Mornin' good lookin'!" he shouts back cheerfully.

"Why'd you let me sleep in? Don't you want breakfast?"

"There was no food for cookin'! So I figured you'd wanta go get some grub in Kakariko while I do some deliveries! Catch up with some old folks on the way. How's that sound, honey?" I squeal in delight.

I get dressed, fix my hair, and we set the wagon to go.

xxx

We are back to the good old team again. Malon and Talon, delivering goods, being friendly, making deals. It feels amazing.

Kakariko village is completely different from the last time I saw it. New shops are filled, new people are around. I think I like it a little bit better than how castle town was, there's a bit more room. As we go through town, I can see how well my pa is with people. Several men approach my him making playful insults and clapping him on the back, and they talk about current events, and the economy. Some congratulate him for getting the ranch back. Women smile sweetly at him when he asks how their families are, and they inquire about the Lon Lon goods, and how he is getting along with his recent return. Little girls run up to him giggling while he playfully tugs on their pigtails, while little boys poke his belly and run. He introduces me to just about everyone, and smile and nod. This is my Pa's element. He's a people person, and it makes me proud to see him doing good.

We stop at the market to buy food. I stop by the bazar to buy some shoes I've been needing, and a couple of hair ribbons for fun, and then we're on our way back home.

xxx

Pa gets to sleep right after we unload the wagon, and I stay outside to put the horses back in. And besides, I can never resist those summer evenings right when the sun isn't hidden yet. The grass is nice and cool, and the sky turns a richer shade every quarter hour. I kick off my shoes and stockings.

Lo and behold, Sheik pops his head from around the horse I'm brushing. Inevitably, it startles me. and I let out a mixture of a scream and a gasp.

"I wasn't even trying to sneak that time!" he says defensively. His sleeves are rolled up and there's no cap on his head, making his golden hair even more unkempt. I flash him a smile, happy to see him again.

"Well, I suppose I will just need to accept that you are a Sheikah, and stealthing is your nature; you can't help it," I say as a matter-of-factly, while brushing the back of the horse. There's a pause, and then a low chuckle. He grabs a brush and walks to the other side of the horse.

"How's your father?" he asks

"It does us good to be reunited. We're not the same without each other."

"I can tell," he puts simply. I look over the horse at him, and he's smiling in his own thoughts. That crooked grin...

"You should meet him," I say slowly. looking up, I see the face he's giving me. I know that he's not supposed to be seen. Apparently, I shouldn't even know him, or that he exists, for that matter. I speed up my voice in my own defense: "He's a good man, you'd love him! He has always been interested in Sheikan history and the like, he would have a hay-day meeting you."

His face holds that stoney glare, and I keep my eyes big and hopeful.

It breaks his expression, as usual.

He looks down laughing softly, and heaves a big sigh, avoiding my eye contact.

"You..." he pauses, smirking, looking up at me. I think he's about to give in. I know he wants to. "I... you know I can't..." he contorts his face into a mock suave. "I'm terrible with parents, sweetheart," he says leaning on his elbow and kicking his leg out casually.

My cheeks heat up at his implied joke. I grab the reigns of the horse and click my tounge to get it moving. Sheik stumbles, and I laugh out loud.

I play along by swinging my hips as I lead the horse out to the coral. I look coyly over my shoulder at him and then flip my hair around.

"Well that's just too bad. Isn't it, stud?" I call out to him. "We coulda had a hay-day ourselves." I say sweet and low, unclipping the lead line and letting the horse in the fence. I hear him jogging over to me, and before I know it, he has me from behind swinging me in circles. I screech out in laughter.

"Why you little floozy!" he teases. I shriek, and titter at him to stop. "Promise you'll behave?" he roars.

"I swear!" He puts me down and we both collapse on the grass next to each other, laughing.

All I hear for the next two minutes is heavy breathing and content chuckling. The sun had just gone down but it is still light out. The evening star shines through the horizon. I lift one of my legs and spread my toes in the cool air. Sheik has his arms behind his head.

"Tiny feet," he states.

"Don't tease."

"I'm not."

"There are too small for the rest of me," I say with a pout.

"Their perfect," he corrects. I smile to myself.

"Tell me about your mother," he says after a while.

"You've asked me before, and I'll tell you again, I don't know much about her. All I know is that I look like her a lot," I say. He gets up on his elbows, and I follow suit.

"Will you ask your father about her?" he asks, keeping close eye contact with me.

"Sure," I say, squinting my eyes. "Why are you so curious?"

"I don't know," he hesitates, but goes on, "something tells me there's something there. There is something about the name Marin, and there's a lot of something about you."

I gaze steadily at him, and his solemn expression sends a flutter through my stomach.

"I'm going to sleep," I say. He nods, and we get up. He tells me he'll see me again, and walks down the entrance lane, and dissapeares behind the wall.


	9. neuf

**A/N:** The heat finally came about where I live, after rain, and then snow, and repeat last week. seriously? three days ago there was an inch of snow on the ground and now it's 80 degrees outside. I was just outside cleaning my car, and _I was sweating! _ hahah. Well I put some of those good feelings into this chapter ferr yah! Also, something new in the plot for you guys, I'm really hoping it will quicken it, I felt that it was getting kind of slow and a little too predictable.

p.s. I have laryngitis. cough.

Disclaimer: I keep forgetting, but legend of zelda does not belong to me.

* * *

**Chapter 9**

It's one of those dog days today. After doing my morning chores, I sit under a tree in the far end of the field to mend some of Pa's clothes. I put my hair up with a ribbon to get it off my neck. I want to kick myself for not feeling fine.

A breeze is playing against my face. The sky has such an azure color that I've never seen, and the few clouds in the sky are a brilliant contrast against it. My father is home and happily working in his own ranch. But I'm not as chipper as I should be.

Every time I think about Link (which is quite often), I feel sick. I'm so mad for not feeling sublime, and I don't know why I neglected to tell Sheik about us yesterday.

Actually I _do _know why. He thinks that I'm a distraction to Link. Whenever I mention him, Sheik looks at me angrily. But now I'm guilty for not talking to him about it. I tell him everything nowadays. I rest my head against the tree trunk in frustration.

I care about what Sheik thinks, but I love Link. He doesn't understand. I bet he even thinks I'm pathetic. I start to think about Link's kisses, and I blush. There are stories about warriors eons ago. Stories about war and adventure, and mystery. But the only ones that I ever clinged to were the romance stories, like any little girl would. These strong, handsome warriors would march into war on their gallant horses fighting for a specific girl in mind back home. The women would wait at home, despairing over the threatened safety of their beloved. Once they reunited, heaven opened. And all was well again.

I suppose you could parallel those stories to Link and I. I used to be the damsel in distress. Usually, the tales would end at the maiden being saved, then they would live happily ever after.

I guess that's what sets us apart from legend. I'm saved from danger, but his peril lives on. It's a big job, saving Hyrule. I never was his main goal.

My case was a task that he had to make time for, and I don't know if our romance was something he hoped for or not, let alone something he pined for, like I did.

I think about Sheik in the the scheme of things.

He has a big job too, an important one at that. He didn't plan on meeting me, he tried to hide from me. He found the pendant thing he was looking for, link has Epona he could have forgotten all about me by now.

But we met,  
we became friends,  
and he constantly returns.

And not only do I think it will stay this way, but I hope it does with all my heart.

If I ever said that to him, he would laugh.

I smile to myself thinking about his grin. He lifts his chin slightly when he grins. I'm pretty sure that's just his pride, he _is _a little cocky.

I close my eyes and rest my sewing on the grass next to me, and I doze off.

xxx

That night My dad and I sit down for dinner. Now's the perfect time to ask him about mom.

"Pa, tell me about my mum," I say sweetly. He looks up quickly, but his expression changes, and he has a spark in his eye.

"I would love to, peach!" he exclaims. That was easier than I thought.

"Where was she from, and how did you meet her?"

"Well, actually, she grew up in Castle Town in a cottage on the Castles land. Her parents were in service to the king. They knew him right personally! At the time, I was just in the beginnins of establishing Lon Lon, and was going to the castle in search of a grant. On my way there I spotted that red-haired, green-eyed filly, sittin' in the grass hummin' her song like an angel, and I fell ass-over in an instant. Parden my Gerudo language, but there it is," he prattled. I gleamed at the happy memory he was reliving.

"What was she like, personality-wise, pa?"

"Well when I say she was like you, sweet, I mean it! A free-spirit, as free as wind. As sweet as cherry pie, and stubborn as a mule on a hike when she didn't get her way," he paused smiling at me, "and as gorgeous as the moon reflecting over lake Hylia on summer's eve."

There was a comfortable silence, and I broke it asking:

"What were her parent's names, Pa?"

"Lenta, and Ghirn."

xxx

I'm outside beating the dirt out of the dinning room rug.

It's been a week and Sheik hasn't come by yet.

He asked me for information, and he doesn't come back to get it. How rude of him.

What if he went and got himself killed? I freeze in the middle of a swing and panic a little at the thought. Checking myself, I walk to the other side of the rug and continue. The idiot is capable enough not to perish. All he has to do anyways is give Link council and guidance. He isn't involved in any perilous action.

At least I hope not.

I pinch my arm to remind myself to stop worrying. He's fine. He's a big boy, and a Sheikah, for Din's sake.

Why don't I ever worry about Link this way?

Because he's the hero. I assure myself. He knows what he's doing. Sheik would surely get himself killed, I consider, coughing at the cloud of dust I had produced.

I spin around and get the rug in a great big thump.

I yelp because there stands the object of my fretting, staring at me apprehensively.

"Should I be worried?" he asks slowly, I laugh sourly at his choice of words before stomping forward and poking a finger into his chest.

"Where have you been?" I screech at him. he puts his hands up and shakes his head as if I accused him.

"Assisting the savior of our world, Mal!" he says wryly. I step back with my arms crossed. I can't think of anything else to say, and I'm slightly embarased by caring so much. He's my best friend, so what?

"What is your mind on? you looked so concentrated when you were beating the guts out of that carpet," he says with a quizzical brow.

My cheeks flush, and grab his arm. I drag him all the way to the two rocking chairs on the end of the house. We sit down and I look at him inhaling with bright eyes.

He gives me that apprehensive look again.

"So you want to know about my Ma?" I squeal.

"Absolutely."

"Well, I don't know if this is anything of use, but she grew up in a house on castle grounds." I see a spark of interest in his eye, and I continue. "Her parents were 'in service' to the king, and their names were Ghirn and Lenta."

His jaw drops.

"Did you say 'Lenta?'"

"Yes Lenta was my grandmother," I assure him.

"Well that explains it quite easily, I think" he says laughing brightly.

"Explains what?" I ask loudly. He just keeps on beaming at me, there's a sparkle in his eye, and I want the same feeling. "Tell me!" I plead. I pauses for a moment. He's considering it.

"No..." he says slowly after a while. I quirk my head in annoyance. "No, this is really something, and your not ready for it. Or maybe I wasn't either!" he says cheerily. I stand up and stomp my foot.

"This is not fair!" I pout sourly. He tweaks my chin.

"Sweetheart, life's not fair!" I want to slap that grin off his face. I step up to him, looking up, and trying to seam intimidating. His smile just widens.

"I'll give you a hint, Malon," he muses. "What did I take from Ingo what was taken from your dad?"

_Two things._

"Just think about it!" he says, backing off.

_Epona,_

"I'll see you soon!"

_and..._

"bye!"

_the pendant._

And he's gone.

* * *

A/N: Don't forget to review, people!

p.s. Prom on saturday. I'm going as Cinderella. Whoo!


	10. dix

A/N: Heyy people let's get shit done tonight, right? I'll have the next chapter up tonight as well, and I think it's the last chapter to this whole story. WOW.

Please review. k, thnks.

Chapter 10

It has been a long month since Sheik has come around, leaving me baffled at his unnerving 'discovery'. But even though he remains absent, Link has come to visit three times.

I'm out in the field, just to be around the horses. I'm not so busy these days, my Pa is always working and never seems to mind, so I have only a few chores. Other than that, I ride to town every now and then, read, sew and knit, and if I'm not doing those things, I just do nothing. If it were not for Sheik and Link, I would be bored out of my skull.

I hear a whinny and look towards the entry to see Link trotting up it on Epona. I smile and walk towards them.

We meet at the gate of the paddock. He dismounts perkily and pats Epona on the behind to encourage her to walk in the coral. And as usual I walk to him and bury myself in his arms. he steps back a bit and pecks my lips a few times.

We sit down on a bail of hay up againstt the barn, and I just lounge in the crook of his arm, resting my head on his shoulder. We don't talk much, but just absorb each others energy.

He turns his face towards mine and kisses me deeply, running his hands up and down my arms. I place my hands on his back. I'm caught up in his scent; he smells of wood chips, sweat and leather. Next thing I know he's laying me down.

xxx

_I have the feeling like it's dark and there's a sort of crisp chill in the air, but an enduring warmth radiating on my skin. I hear a playful laugh in between two big sighs. It feels like when you have your eyes closed and turn your head towards sun light; an orange warm glow and nothing else becomes apparent, I feel that and the corners of my mouth twitch._

xxx

The sky is overcast the next morning when I wake up in the grass behind the barn with a horse blanket thrown over me and I look up to see Link mounting Epona.

"Link!" He turns his head and smiles, getting down.

"I didn't want to wake you." he says as he walks over to help me up. I'm not wearing my skirt, but I have a long tunic on. His expression changes. "I'm sorry. I want to stay here with you, but I really go have to take care of something." He gives me an apologetic look, kisses me and turns to leave.

He gallops away and I slump to the bail of hay next to me and put my face in my hands.

"Is this how you wanted it to be?"

The chill in his voice sends a shiver up the back of my neck. I feel a surge of something like shame, guilt, disappointment. I look up to meet his gaze. His covering is off his face and his hair is tucked behind his long ears. I've never seen his face so fully, but I've also never seen it so frightening either. His narrowed eyes are dark and stormy matching the clouds above us. His mouth is creased into a straight line, and he is standing with his legs spread out and his arms crossed unpleasantly. I have never seen him so near conniption, and still he keeps composure.

I shrink back not knowing what to say to him.

"Answer my question!" He demands.

"I love him," I say sheepishly, my face is red with embarrassment; I don't have to ask him if he knows what we did. I see a flash of hurt in his eyes before he recovers, storms over to me and points his finger inches away from my face.

"You don't know what your talking about," he says venomously. Suddenly I get enough confidence to stand up with my fists shaking at my sides.

"I am not a child!" I scream, "I make my own decisions, and they have nothing to do with you!"

"He's not right for you, Malon." His voice catches, less loud now. "You don't want him," and these words sound almost like a request.

Caught off guard by his change in tone, I walk past him towards the coral. He grabs my arm forcefully and spins me around.

"Put some clothes on!" He screams at me, finally starting to look disheveled for the first time that I've known him. I yank my arm away from him and search my mind for something hurtful to say, but before it escapes my lips I catch a glimpse of his eyes and what I find throws me.

His eyes are brimming with tears. I can tell he's fighting to keep them from spilling over. Behind them, is anguish, one might call it longing if they didn't know Sheik.

Suddenly feeling sick, getting the urge to gag, I put my hand over my mouth, close my eyes, and trip over myself, falling to the ground with a big thump. Overwhelmed, I let out a big sob.

He runs his hands through his hair agitatedly, paces a few times and then crouches, covering his face with his hands.

"Why are you acting like this!" I scream at him, my confusion finally bubbling over in anger. He reaches his hand behind him and sits on the ground with his back hunched. His hair covering his face. I stand up in front of him.

"You are my best friend, not my father! You have no right to reprimand me like this!" I stop a breathe a few times. "Why are you so against Link anyways? You know he's a good man, you're practically his personal adviser!" He doesn't move so I continue my rant.

"You think I'm stupid for liking him because he's always gone? I haven't seen you in a month! Do you have any idea how much I stress out when your gone? Do you have any idea what it does to me? I'm losing weight, and messing up and ruining things all the time. All I do is think about you and fret over when your going to come home!" He looks up at me, the same... emotion in his eyes as before. I quickly avoid his gaze.

"You're part Sheikah."

"What?" I say, my back turned away from him.

"Your grandmother was Lenta, she was the cousin of Impah.

He doesn't see my jaw drop. This isn't bad news. If anything its very exciting, but for lack of anything else to say I bite my lip. i feel a rain drop on my shoulder.

"Just go, Sheik," I manage.

And I instantly regret Saying this.


	11. onze

A/N: Last one here.

Hope this has been worth while for whoever has kept reading through.

-Elena

_"Time passes, people move on._

_Like a river's flow, it never ends._

_A childish mind will turn to noble ambition._

_Young love will become deep affection._

_The clear water's surface reflects growth"_

Chapter 11

1 Year Later.

_The moon is bright so there's a luminescent sheen on the lake._

I'm washing dishes in the sink and my Pa is reading the paper at the table behind me. I can tell that he keeps looking at me. It's unnerving.

"You can ride over to town to pick up some wire for me if you wanna," he says carefully.

_The clear waters dance and play and beg me to jump in._

"No, Pa," I say simply.

I could feel his eyes burning a hole in the back of my head.

"Well I need somethin' to keep me busy, so I'm gonna go do that are you sure you don't want to come? I suggest you do," he said with concerning swimming in his voice.

"No thanks," I say. He leaves, and I dry my hands on my smock, and walk up the stairs to go to sleep even though there are still traces of daylight outside.

_I strip down to my jumper and dive._

I take off my skirt, slip on my nightgown, and sit at my vanity. I put my elbows on the table and my head rested on my hands. I look up around my mirror where there are dried flowers, old posters, letters, and jewelery, then my eyes trail down to my reflection. I look at my eyes, and then I start to really _look _into them. More like seek. Right now I see a redhead; stubborn, and unhappy. What I don't see but is so baffling is that I'm part Sheikah. A small part, mind you.

My mind goes back to the time Sheik had my chin in his hand and was seeking.

And I wonder what he found.

_Before I hit the water I notice an impalpable layer all over my body caked on like dried mud._

I sigh and then crawl into the sheets of my bed, and lay there for a few hours, sleep never comes.

_I think it was some feelings._

Suddenly I hear a tick on my window.

_More like woes._

A mixture of hope and panic clutches me as I run to the window, open it and hang outside of it.

_Oppression and disappointment and fear and boredom._

Sheik is standing down below. I try to see what he is thinking from his body language, but there is nothing readable, nor anything written on his face.

Shock, realization, and relief finally flood through me and my head collapses onto my arms leaning on the windowsill. I let out an audible sob, and begin to heave, sniffle and cry, tears running so freely own my cheeks.

_I had not have felt them before covering me like a second skin.  
_

I hear Sheik climb up to the flat part of the roof where my window is. He kneels next to me and I look up at him. He has a hint of that anguish in his eyes. He rubs the tears off of my cheek bones with the palm of his hand.

Anger finally grips me and I climb out of the window.

_These emotions were so numbing, that it all had turned to apathy._

"How dare you! Where in Farore's name have you been?" and before I can raise my hand to slap him he throws his arms around me so my arms are pinned in between us, and my face is pressed against his hard chest.

_A deadly indifference.  
_

His warmth instantly effects me, and I begin to shake in what after a while has turned into an almost desperate embrace. His head is bent against mine, and after I cry a bit into his chest I snake my arms around his waist and he holds me tighter.

I feel him smile, and his hot breathe on my neck, and his hand on the small of my back, it feels electric, like he's putting his energy into me just by touching me.

He pulls away to my dismay. I talk before he does.

"What took you so long." It looks like he's searching for something to say.

_I break the surface._

I hesitate before I reach up and pull his cover down below his mouth, to catch his smirk. He steps toward me so that we are face to face.

_And as I swim this filth melts off of me._

He takes both sides of my jaw with his thumbs and as he leans in to kiss me I feel unbelievable empathy, his lips meet mine so softly and not in the care in the world is mine. Warm vibrancy explodes inside of me.

We part and he holds the back of my head with his hands, and puts his forehead to mine.

At the same instant we begin to laugh.

_And for once I feel alive._

And I kiss his smiling mouth.

xxx

Last night we were giddy, like children. I had a blanket out on the roof and we just laid on out backs and looked at the cloudy night sky. Every time the waning moon came out from hiding he would lean over and kiss me, each time a little more passionately.

When My legs got cold I brought him inside to my room where we slept on my bed. Nothing happened, we were so comfortable we just fell asleep.

I woke up a half hour ago, and he was fast asleep with his head against my stomach and his arms around my hips. My laugh almost woke him up. About ready to get moving, I run my fingers through his hair, and he smiles half asleep. He stretches while holding me tighter and a cackle out loud.

"Sheik!" I shriek.

"No!" he says sluggishly shaking his head. He opens his eyes and moves up next to me after kissing me on the cheek.

"What happened with you and Link?" He asks out of the blue. I blush.

"He got really angry with me and never came back."

"What did you do?"

"I talked about you too much," I say quickly. He laughs.

"You're shitting me!" I turn my head towards him and smile.

"I shit you not."

His attention gets caught by the ceiling. I watch as his eyes flit from one corner to the other.

"I should get those cracks plastered," I say, cringing on the inside.

"No, don't, I like them," he says. Something jumps inside of me. Maybe Sheik sees what I've been trying to see all this time.

"I've been trying to learn a lesson from those cracks all my life," I say rather stupidly. He looks at me as if I'm crazy.

"Malon, they're just a bunch of cracks."

.


End file.
